Drew Smith spoke to the media on Friday, detailing that Tommy John surgery is on the table after imaging on his right elbow showed “pretty significant damage.” Smith was emotional talking about how he might not pitch for the Mets again, as he is set to be a free agent this offseason.

Smith has been a staple in the Mets’ bullpen since 2018, one year after he was acquired for Lucas Duda from the Rays. He’s spent his entire major league career with the Mets, accumulating a 3.48 ERA.

Drew Smith. John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

On a brighter note, the Mets (40-39) defeated the Astros (40-41) 7-2 in their series opener. It was a breakout game for Jeff McNeil, who recorded three hits including a three-run homer in the sixth inning to extend the Mets’ lead from one to four. Pete Alonso and Tyrone Taylor also homered in the effort. With the win, the Mets are officially over .500.

David Stearns spoke to the media prior to the game. Stearns explained that the Mets may be buyers at the trade deadline if the circumstances are right, and that Steve Cohen will allow the team to add to the payroll if that’s the course Stearns wants to take.

The Florida Complex League Mets threw a combined no-hitter, their first since 2015. Joseph Yabbour, Wellington Aracena, and Brayhans Barreto were the pitchers who accomplished the feat, while Francisco Toledo was behind the plate.

Shintaro Fujinami made a rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets. It was a quick 1-2-3 inning, as he threw just six pitches, all of which were strikes.

Héctor Ríos Morales of the Latin Times spoke with Francisco Alvarez, who talked about his baseball experience and his future aspirations of winning a World Series.

Latest MLB News

Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda passed away on Friday at the age of 86. Cepeda had a very decorated career; he was an 11-time All-Star, including 10 times as a San Francisco Giant, and he was also a Rookie of the Year (1958), an MVP (1967), and a World Series winner (1967).

The Phillies placed both Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber on the 10-day injured list. In corresponding moves, the team called up Johan Rojas and reinstated Kody Clemens from the IL. Harper and Schwarber appear to have avoided major injuries after being removed from Thursday’s game, but they will still be sidelined for at least the 10-day minimum.

Per Grant Paulsen of MLB Network Radio, the Nationals are calling up top prospect James Wood. The 21-year-old Wood was sent from the Padres to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade a few years ago, and is considered MLB.com’s no. 3 prospect in all of baseball. Wood has been mashing in Triple-A this year, where he has a 1.036 OPS in 51 games.

Reliever Nabil Crismatt announced on Instagram that he is signing with the Padres. It’s a minor league deal for Crismatt, who spent parts of three seasons with the Padres before pitching for the Dodgers this year. Crismatt allowed just two runs in seven major league innings with the Dodgers this year.

The Cubs called up former Met Jorge López to join their bullpen. López had a 3.76 ERA in 28 games with the Mets before being released after infamously tossing his glove into the stands and not holding back to the media following that incident. López appeared for the Cubs on Friday in his first game, tossing a scoreless inning of relief.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Michael Mayer highlights Brandon Sproat‘s latest brilliant outing, a scoreless six-inning performance for Double-A Binghamton.

Jose Iglesias‘s new song, “OMG,” released on Friday. Patrick Glynn breaks down what it has meant for this New York Mets team and posts a link to the anthem.

On the latest MMO Weekly, former MMO writer and current SI beat writer Pat Ragazzo joins Sal Manzo to discuss the Subway Series, the baby Mets, Grimace, and more.

On This Date in Mets History

1969: Tom Seaver became the all-time winningest pitcher in Mets history, surpassing lefty Al Jackson with his 44th career victory. It was his 12th victory of the 1969 season, a complete game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Birthdays: Yolmer Sánchez (32), Brooks Raley (36), Larry Stahl (83)

The post Morning Briefing: Drew Smith Likely Needs Tommy John Surgery appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso drove in his historic 200th home run on Saturday afternoon against the Cardinals. Alonso has been chasing that illustrious number 200 for a little while now and on Saturday he accomplished the feat.

But the Mets’ late comeback effort fell short, and they’ve now lost two in a row against the Cardinals. The seesaw of this season has given them a 13-13 overall record, as they’ve cooled off again after a hot stretch.

Pete Alonso. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, New York Mets prospect Nate Lavender is most likely going to end up needing Tommy John surgery after suffering an elbow injury.

Latest MLB News 

The Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday announced that they have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Nabil Crismatt and optioned keft-handed pitcher Nick Ramirez. They also transferred right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt to the 60-day injured list.

Per Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, the Chicago Cubs announced that they have traded Garrett Cooper to the Boston Red Sox.

Latest on MMO

Alexis Farinacci recaps J.D. Martinez’s first game as a Met that included an RBI double in the series opener against the Cardinals.

Michael Mayer discusses FOCO’s release of the Mets’ City Connect bobbleheads.

The staff at Metsmerized discussed their thoughts on the Mets’ City Connect uniforms in an MMO roundtable discussion that was put together by Michelle Ioannou.

Evan Mazza talks about Mark Vientos and Dedniel Núñez being called up as Starling Marte was placed on the bereavement list and Drew Smith was placed on the injured list.

David Melendi breaks down the report that Nate Lavender will likely need Tommy John Surgery after suffering an elbow injury.

Evan Mazza recaps the moment that Pete Alonso made history with his 200th career home run.

David Melendi recaps the Mets’ Game 2 loss to the Cardinals on the night that Alonso drove his 200th career home run out of the park.

On This Date in Mets History

1962: Frank Thomas and Charlie Neal became the first Mets to hit back-to-back home runs.

1965: Tug McGraw earned his first MLB decision, a 12-9 loss to Houston. 

Birthdays: Dillon Gee (38), Jorge Sosa (46)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Lose Second Straight Series appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Position: SP B/T: R/L
Age: 36 (03/25/1987)

2023 Traditional Stats: 11 G, 52 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.288 WHIP, 3-3, 38 SO, 14 BB
2023 Advanced Stats: 123 ERA+, 17.0% SO%, 6.3% BB%, 3.93 xERA, 4.91 FIP, 4.41 xFIP, 0.4 fWAR, 0.4 bWAR

RUNDOWN

36-year-old South Korean native Hyun-jin Ryu is almost five years removed from a career-best season that saw him leading the league in ERA (2.32), ERA+ (179) and BB/9 (1.2). He finished the 2019 season, his final as a Dodger, second in Cy Young voting, an All-Star and with MVP votes.

He followed up his 2019 season with another superb 2020 season in Toronto, finishing third in Cy Young voting and 13th in MVP voting. However, the injury bug plagued him his final three years in Toronto, culminating in Tommy John surgery during the 2022 season. 

Ryu returned to the rotation in August 2023 and showed promise. However, his fastball, offspeed and breaking velocity are all down from previous years. He throws a healthy amount of fastballs, changeups, cutters and curveballs, with the occasional sinker. While his velocity is down, a promising sign is that his hard rate percentage is down from recent years. At 37.1%, it’s the lowest since his 2020 season and ranked in the 65th percentile.

The left-hander projects to be a fourth or fifth-spot option in a rotation. While the velocity and injury track record is something to watch, Ryu returned from Tommy John surgery in just over a year. Recovery time can take up to 18 months to return to full strength, so it’ll be interesting to see what Ryu’s pitches look like come spring. Either way, he is a valuable asset to any rotation, especially if he reinvents himself.

CONTRACT

Fangraph’s crowd-sourced projections have Ryu landing a one-year deal at around $10 million. As mentioned, Ryu will most likely slide into a rotation in a backend spot, either fourth or fifth. To put this number into perspective, here are a few examples of what other pitchers in similar roles signed for this offseason:

• 36-year-old Kenta Maeda: two years, $24 million
• 36-year-old Lance Lynn: one year, $11 million
• 36-year-old Kyle Gibson: one year, $13 million

A one-year deal is all Ryu will receive this offseason from any team. Coming off Tommy John surgery, Ryu has plenty to prove. While he’s nowhere near the ace he once was with the Dodgers, his 3.46 ERA in six 2023 starts proves there’s hope left.

RECOMMENDATION

The starting pitcher market is getting thinner in the final month before spring training. With the Mets not entertaining the idea of Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell, one-year deals are the way to go. The Mets’ starting pitching depth is depleted and would benefit from additional signings.

Ryu isn’t who Mets fans expected to target going into the offseason, but reports indicate that the Mets have interest. With David Peterson out for the foreseeable future, Ryu would fit in as nicely, filling out the fifth spot in the rotation. He also gives the Mets another lefty, Jose Quintana the other.

Queens is a sensible destination for Ryu, who can reestablish himself. Also, if the Mets find themselves out of contention come summer, Ryu can act as a trade piece.

The post Free Agent Profile: Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In “For Love of the Game,” the 1999 sports drama starring Kevin Costner as an aging former ace, a line from Vin Scully (who appears in the film as a broadcaster) sums up what many pitchers often feel on the bump.

“He (Billy Chapel) will make the fateful walk to the loneliest spot in the world: the pitching mound.”

Standing on the mound can be an isolating feeling, especially when pitchers are struggling. For many, visualization and mental training cues can aid in trying to re-center and calm the nerves in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans. The mental side of the game is a crucial element that aids in the success of the individual player and organization overall.

However, the destigmatization of mental health in Major League Baseball is more of a modern approach, with organizations offering at least one Employee Assistance Professional (EAP), adding the option for mental health IL stints, many employing mental skills coaches, and offering direct access to mental health resources through MLB’s wellness program.

Bill Pulsipher, the former left-handed pitching prospect for the Mets who was part of the highly touted trio of Jason Isringhausen and Paul Wilson, dubbed “Generation K,” can be viewed as one of the pioneers in addressing the importance of mental health.

Pulsipher was selected by the Mets in the second round of the 1991 Draft (the 66th overall pick) as a seventeen-year-old out of Fairfax High School in Virginia. Over his first three minor league seasons from 1992 through 1994, Pulsipher tossed 435.2 innings with a 2.81 ERA. In 1995, Pulsipher split time between Triple-A and the majors, throwing a combined 218.1 innings in his age-21 season.

Making 17 starts in the majors in 1995, posting a 3.98 ERA and 1.6 fWAR, Pulsipher thought this was the start of his ascension towards the career he had always envisioned.

Unfortunately, Pulsipher’s professional and personal career took a turn in 1996, as the imposing lefty underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season.

While working his way back to the mound, Pulsipher knew something was awry. Instead of the normal butterflies he’d regularly experience at the start of a game, Pulsipher was now dealing with extreme anxiety, which turned into bouts of depression.

The game, which Pulsipher adored and reveled in the competition, had become a hardship.

“In a place where you feel like you shine and love being out there and putting on a show where you’re a showman as much as you are an athlete and competitor, I relished in that,” Pulsipher said while speaking over the phone. “To become the most uncomfortable place was very difficult.”

To his credit, Pulsipher continued to work through his struggles and played professionally for 19 years across the globe, including stints in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Taiwan. He’s been an outspoken advocate about the importance of mental health and having the right outlets and resources to aid in treatment.

On May 6 of this year, Pulsipher threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field prior to the contest between the Colorado Rockies and Mets, as the club held a Mental Health Awareness Day.

Pulsipher’s appearance that day — during Mental Health Awareness Month — is a reminder that help is available and that the old stigmas regarding mental health should be kept long in the past.

I had the privilege of speaking to Pulsipher in June, where he discussed his early success in the minors, Generation K and how he dealt with anxiety and depression throughout his career.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Pulsipher: I grew up a Mets fan. Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry were some of my favorite players with the ’86 Mets being my favorite team of all time.

I was a big baseball fan and I had TBS, so obviously Dale Murphy and Bob Horner  [were others].

MMO: I read that your father was in the military, and that growing up you lived all over the United States and in Germany. What was it like to relocate so often?

Pulsipher: I was a kid, so I didn’t really think it was anything abnormal. It was one of those things where it was just what life was.

I think it actually helped me out because you get to see different places, meet different people, be around different areas of the world and have to integrate yourself. I think it was something that helped me in my maturation.

MMO: At what point during your development did you start focusing primarily on pitching?

Pulsipher: Not until I signed professionally. I didn’t grow up in the days of pitcher only. I gravitated towards basketball and baseball at an early age, and I was a successful baseball player growing up; I would play first base, centerfield and pitched.

It wasn’t until I got drafted out of high school that I focused solely on pitching. I grew up playing all over the field but I was left-handed, so obviously the positions were limited.

MMO: What memories do you have from the 1991 Draft?

Pulsipher: Being called out of history class to be told I was drafted. They didn’t have a television show or anything like that, and it happened in the middle of the day at the time.

Every outing in high school that year in the spring was full of scouts behind home plate with their radar guns and in the bullpen prior to the game. So it was obviously very exciting.

We had a good team, we had a very good team, that kind of fell short of expectations. As a senior, I had quite a few friends that were seniors that year too, so it was an exciting time for all of us to be getting closer to graduating high school and finishing our journey as high school baseball players. To have the Major League scouts around made for a very exciting time.

MMO: You got off to a phenomenal start to your professional career, and at a very young age. What were those early minor league seasons like for you, and how did you deal with that early success?

Pulsipher: It was a lot of fun and was everything I expected out of life. It was kind of what I planned for myself to be doing, and I thought that I would always be that way.

We won a lot except for my first year in Pittsfield (the Mets’ former Short-Season A club), where we went .500. It was strange for me to play on a team that felt like we were losing all the time because I’d always been on teams where we were relatively successful coming through high school and Babe Ruth and American Legion Baseball. That was a little different to see what playing .500 [baseball] was like.

Following that, I went to the South Atlantic League for a brief stint in my second year in pro ball before I got called up to the Florida State League, which at the time was High-A ball. We lost in the League Championship to the Clearwater Phillies; we were right on the doorstep of winning a championship.

The following year, we won the Eastern League in Double-A, and then in Triple-A it was kind of the same group coming up.

A lot of winning, a lot of fun, a lot of success, and some of the greatest times in my life.

MMO: Times have changed and organizations have altered how they build up young pitchers’ workloads. You threw over 200 innings in back-to-back years in 1994 and 1995 (age 20 and 21 seasons). Can you talk about the development plan the Mets set out for you, and your overall workload?

Pulsipher: I think you look back during that time when I was growing up, and it was kind of the end of an older school and beginning of a new school era.

They always said that the number they used for pitchers to be Major League ready was 500 innings pitched in the minor leagues. I think that between the Mets having some struggles at the big league level, and having some young pitching prospects, they probably wanted to get to that 500 inning mark as soon as possible to try and show that you were ready to go to the big leagues.

Looking back, a bad outing would still be seven innings giving up four runs, so you still threw 105-115 pitches. There weren’t many times you got knocked out in the second or third inning coming through the minors.

I think we all look back on it and my career wasn’t what I would’ve wanted or probably a lot of people wanted. I think that the way baseball and pitchers are used nowadays has a lot to do with me.

MMO: Since pitch count data started being tracked in 1988, only three pitchers threw 130 or more pitches in their major league debuts: Tim Wakefield (1992), John Dettmer (1994) and yourself (1995). I have a feeling we’ll never see those kinds of pitch counts again in a game, let alone a major league debut!

Pulsipher: No, and you’ll never see 200 innings in a minor league season ever again either.

MMO: Do you remember when you first heard of the ‘Generation K’ moniker?

Pulsipher: I don’t remember exactly. It was just one of those things, I guess. I don’t even know where it came from. It was a play off Gen X; we were Gen X kids, but I don’t know where it came from.

Generation K 1.0 – Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson, Bill Pulsipher

It was more of a media thing I would say. We wouldn’t go around telling people we were Gen K or anything. I think we were all focused on becoming Major League Baseball players and being successful.

MMO: You missed the entire 1996 season with Tommy John surgery. When did you first notice that something was not right with your elbow? During an interview you gave with Sweeny Murti, you said you were never the same after the surgery. Can you elaborate?

Pulsipher: I did have a little bit of shoulder inflammation in 1994. I don’t think I even missed a start; they might’ve just pushed me back a couple of days and I took some anti-inflammatories.

The first time I really noticed something was wrong was when I had a start in Montreal against Pedro Martínez [near the end of the 1995 season]. He threw a shutout that night, I believe. Two days later was my bullpen day, and I was doing my pen in Montreal, and something just didn’t feel right in my elbow. I never felt anything like that before. That’s when they sent me back to New York to get an MRI, and I was told I had a sprained ligament.

At the time I was like, I’ve sprained my ankle numerous times; I’m all right. What’s the big deal? I was prescribed rehab and told that I’d be all right. I rehabbed in Port St. Lucie, and I was there six days a week. I came into spring training and went to see the doctor again, and they told me I was fine, and it’s like nothing ever happened.

I didn’t make it out of spring, and I needed to have Tommy John. I remember pitching against the Expos again, believe it or not, on a televised game in spring training, and I remember warming up in the pen thinking I had never felt so good in my life. In the second inning, I threw a curveball, and I felt something. It was actually a very good curveball for strike three to end an inning. Walking off, I just remember giving the throat cut sign that that’s it, and I know something is wrong.

Lo and behold, you get an MRI, and they tell you that there’s too much inflammation and they can’t determine what’s going on. Then the Mets traded for Mark Clark, and a week later I’m told that I need to have Tommy John. I don’t believe that they didn’t know what was going on the week that the first MRI happened.

I had a curveball coming up that was never the same. I was also told that the way I threw was the reason I got hurt. I kind of threw the ball like Andy Pettitte. I threw hard; I threw 92-94 miles-per-hour and I had a really, really good curveball. When I came back, my curveball was just not quite the same.

Because they decided that the way I threw was the reason I got injured, they wanted to turn me into a sinkerball pitcher, and try to start moving the ball less. That just wasn’t the way I naturally wanted to throw the ball.

That confused everything and I think it was a terrible decision by everybody as a whole to try and do that. My idea was I had pitched that way from the time I was eight to twenty-one, so if I can pitch that way for another ten years, and then the elbow blows out again, who gives a shit?

I think that changed everything to try and learn to be a two-seam/sinkerball guy. That just wasn’t my thing.

MMO: Was that when the anxiety and depression started?

Pulsipher: No, it wasn’t until after. I was starting to come back and be right where I was, and I totally believed in myself. I lived in Port St. Lucie and worked out with the pitching coach who lived there. I worked out six days a week, and there was no talk of anything other than getting healthy and have a good spring.

I pick up the newspaper one day, and it said I was going to go on a rehab assignment to start the season. I’m like, Wait a minute, why haven’t we discussed any of this at all? I guess when you’re 22 in that day and age they don’t feel like they have to tell you anything.

I had a good spring training, but I just wasn’t throwing quite as hard. But zeroes are zeroes and outs are outs. I went on the rehab assignment, and the first outing up in Syracuse was really cold, and something wasn’t right. I’ve always had some butterflies with the first batter of the game or first inning until you get into it.

It was one of those things where it was there and it was constant, and it was impossible to play and be successful when you’re dealing with extreme anxiety.

MMO: And then from there it got progressively worse?

Pulsipher: Yeah. You’re going out there every five days trying to get outs, and nobody understands what’s going on because they didn’t want to understand what was going on back then. You don’t understand what’s going on and thinking why in the world am I feeling like this.

I was a few starts into my rehab assignment when I told them, ‘I have no business being on the mound right now. Something’s not right.’ Their idea was to take me off the rehab assignment and send me down to A-ball, where I was still playing with guys that were either my age or some even older. For them it was, let’s put him down at a lower level, and he’ll be all right.

There was no rhyme or reason for me to be out competing on the field. We needed to figure out what was going on.

MMO: Was that when you started to work with the team psychiatrist, Dr. Alan Lans?

Pulsipher: We had contact while I was coming up through the minor leagues. I was a bit of a wild child, and he was the guy who tried and talk to the guys that might have been a little different than the others. So, me and him had a relationship prior to that.

That was when we first started trying to figure out the anxiety. At first it was like, I’m obsessive compulsive. I just think it boiled down to social anxiety disorder and some anxiety, which, obviously leads to depression when things aren’t going your way.

MMO: Did you ever work with Harvey Dorfman (renowned mental training consultant)?

Pulsipher: No. I know of his books and of his work, but I never worked with him personally.

MMO: How did you manage the anxiety and depression?

Pulsipher: I had to take some medication. That changed over the years and doses changed over time. I was never one-hundred percent good at sticking to things, so there would be highs and lows.

You’d be going well and then go back and forth and self-medicate. I think you’d be surprised how many guys are probably using some form of medication one way or another in this day and age in the game.

MMO: Outside of the United States, did you have a favorite country that you played baseball in?

Pulsipher: It’s tough to say. I made the most of wherever I went. Taiwan was great, and I loved playing in Puerto Rico. I played there about nine times during winter ball. Not to toot my horn, but I think I became a bit of a living legend down there because I played there so much and had some success.

MMO: Have you ever thought about getting back into the game in some capacity?

Pulsipher: I would love to but financially it wouldn’t pay off. They’re not looking to pay enough money for me to be able to make a living being a low-level person.

I had a reputation as a younger player that I’ve had to try and outlive. I was a little bit of a wild child, or back then, they’d say crazy. I was just way ahead of my time. If you look at the way players are allowed to act and things that go on nowadays, I’m sitting at home as a 49-year-old yelling at the TV about what goes on. [Laughs.] I was just way ahead of my time.

MMO: What are your thoughts on the way Major League Baseball has evolved in the sense of providing outlets and changing some of the stigmas on mental health?

Pulsipher: I think they’re doing a good job. You look at the Colorado Rockies, they had a couple of guys and in the beginning of the year there were several guys who were on the IL and they weren’t trying to make up a reason for an injury. It was basically for mental health issues.

The game is hard, man. The game is super duper hard. When you watch it on TV, everybody makes it look really easy. Everybody has played baseball at some point in their life, and the further away you get from your playing days, and this goes for everybody, including former major league players, you remember yourself being better than you really were a lot of times. And that goes for the average fan who thinks baseball is easy.

Baseball has come a long way. I think they’re realizing the difficulties that the players go through and pressure they put on themselves by the organization and fans is: we are human beings. There are human being things that happen to the guys you watch on television. I think MLB is doing a better job.

I think if you were to go off and say that you were going to take a nap in the clubhouse 25 years ago, they would think you were out of your freaking mind. Now, they have sleep-deprivation rooms, so obviously the game has changed.

MMO: What did it mean for you to throw out the first pitch at Citi Field on Mental Health Awareness Day this year?

Pulsipher: It was really cool. I was a little apprehensive about doing it because I wasn’t sure how I’d be perceived relative to some of the things we just talked about. I’ve always been pretty well received by Mets fans, regardless of outcomes of my career or anything like that.

I was one of the first guys that really said something, so it kind of made sense to have me involved, and it was an honor to go back out there. It wasn’t walking back onto the Shea Stadium mound, but it was my first time being on that field for quite a long time.

It was such a special moment for me, and hopefully people who saw it enjoyed it as well.

MMO: What have you been up to since you retired from playing?

Pulsipher: I work road construction (on Long Island), and I give pitching lessons at 365 Athletics in Bellport. I’m just a regular, old dude.

MMO: When you look back on your career, what are you most proud of?

Pulsipher: That I will always be less than a one-percenter and nobody can ever take that away from me. I did it, I made it, I stuck it out and I never quit.

I got to play for twenty years and at the highest level on the planet. Nobody can ever take that away from me.

The post MMO Exclusive: Pitcher, Bill Pulsipher appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans, and happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! We hope you have a baseball-filled day at the ballpark!

The Mets dropped Game 2 of their series to the Cardinals on Saturday evening 5-3. The two clubs close out their series with the rubber match Sunday afternoon at 1:40 p.m. ET. Carlos Carrasco takes the mound for the Mets against Matthew Liberatore for the Cardinals. This game closes out this homestand for the Mets before they hit the road for a six-game road trip over the course of seven days against the Astros and Phillies.

Latest Mets News

As Michael Mayer of Metsmerized Online tweeted, Sean Reid-Foley pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout on Saturday in his first rehab assignment for the St. Lucie Mets. His fastball hit 96 mph. Reid-Foley had Tommy John surgery last May.

Latest MLB News

Per Zach Worden, John Olerud was elected on Saturday into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He spoke at the ceremony and said, “If I’m ever feeling down, I’ll have to remember to come back here.” Per Worden, there was a lot of love shown on Saturday for Olerud.

According to Sports Illustrated, the bus driver contracted to transport the Pirates to Milwaukee on Thursday was charged with a DUI after he was pulled over transporting the Pirates to Milwaukee.

Per The Athletic MLB, Samad Taylor hit his first Major League hit for the Royals on Saturday. It was a walk-off single to defeat the Angels 10-9.

According to YES Network, the Yankees vs Red Sox game scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to the threat of inclement weather. It will be made up on Sunday as part of a two-game doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.

Latest on MMO 

Ricky Keeler recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday that included another home run for Luke Voit for Triple-A Syracuse and another dominant performance for Tyler Stuart.

Jorge Eckardt recaps Tylor Megill’s outing from Friday, June 16 as he makes one last push to keep his spot in the pitching rotation.

Colby Morris takes a deeper dive into Tyler Stuart, the minor league ERA leader as of June 17.

Alexis Farinacci recaps the Mets’ 5-3 loss to the Cardinals on Saturday night as the offense failed to captizalize.

On This Date in Mets History 

2012: R.A. Dickey threw his second straight one-hitter against the Orioles in a 5-0 Mets win.

Birthdays: Ben Johnson (42), Felix Heredia (48), Sandy Alomar (57), Dave Schneck (74)

The post Morning Briefing: Carrasco Looks to Help Mets Win Series on Father’s Day appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The New York Mets took on the Atlanta Braves down in Georgia away from the smoke that filled the New York air on Tuesday, where they dropped the series opener, 6-4. In the third inning, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hit back-to-back two-run homers to put the Mets up, 4-1, after Ozzie Albies put the Braves in front with a solo homer of his own in the first inning.

Carlos Carrasco started for the Mets and made his third start since coming off the IL. Carrasco looked to continue his comeback after making two great starts prior to Tuesday. Carrasco held the Braves in check for the first five innings after allowing the solo shot from Albies, but his sixth inning got the best of him. The Braves batted around Carrasco and took the lead once Drew Smith came in for relief. Orlando Arcia hit the go-ahead infield single and the Braves ultimately win the game, 6-4. It was their fourth consecutive loss, putting them below .500 once again at 30-31.

Latest Mets News

The Mets are bringing back Italian Heritage Day, according to the Italian American Baseball Foundation on Twitter. The Mets will celebrate the day during their game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 17.

Right-hander Stephen Ridings made his Mets organization debut with one rehab inning for the St. Lucie Mets, according to Michael Mayer of MMO. Ridings allowed one run on two hits. Mets took the reliever off waivers from the Yankees in November. He’s been dealing with a right lat strain going back to spring training.

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Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom will miss the rest of the season and most or all of the 2024 season, as he will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The surgery will repair a torn UCL ligament in deGrom’s elbow.

The former New York Met was moved from the 15-day Injured List (IL) to the 60-day IL on Monday.

DeGrom will be out at least for 12 months after the surgery, which will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister. Rangers general manager Chris Young said an MRI revealed damage that was significant. DeGrom addressed the media on Tuesday where his emotions showed.

Texas ace Jacob deGrom will have season-ending Tommy John surgery, cutting short his first season after the oft-injured right-hander signed a $185 million, five-year contract with the Rangers. https://t.co/WnJ77L4jJR pic.twitter.com/2LPjnB2K6o

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) June 6, 2023

The news of deGrom’s surgery hits a tender chord for Mets fans, who many have witnessed the greatness of his pitching and more have missed him on the mound with his many injury stints with the Mets. Players from around the league and fans on social media sent their sincerest well wishes to the two-time Cy Young winner.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Fall Below .500 With Fourth Straight Loss appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo Credit: Perfect Game

Good morning, Mets fans!

Former Mets first-round pick and current Texas Rangers prospect Kumar Rocker is going to have Tommy John surgery later this week, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, after suffering an ‘acute’ injury.

Rocker, who was last pitching in Single-A ball in Hickory, suffered the elbow injury resulting in the surgery on May 11. Texas Rangers General Manager Chris Young said Rocker is expected to be out until the second half of 2024.

The Mets could not get a deal with Rocker after selecting him 10th overall in 2021 when medical reports came back iffy. Rocker had shoulder surgery later that year that stemmed from a high school football injury, according to Rocker’s agent Scott Boras. The following year, the Rangers selected Rocker with the third overall pick.

Latest Mets News

While the Mets came home after splitting a series with the Washington Nationals, the last place team in the NL East, the Mets came home to play the AL East leading Tampa Bay Rays. With Justin Verlander making his first Citi Field start as a member of the Mets, he gave up six runs in five innings of work that lead to the Mets 8-5 loss to open the series. The Mets’ home run drought did end off the bats of Brett Baty, Pete Alonso and Eduardo Escobar.

Mets manager Buck Showalter gave updates to injured Mets José Quintana and Omar Narváez. Quintana will have a “huge” CT scan on Friday that will determine if the pitcher can ramp up activity that would get him on the mound faster. Narvaez is expected to be playing rehab games by next week.

Buck Showalter says that José Quintana has a "huge" CT scan on Friday that could allow him to be cleared to ramp up activity.

Omar Narváez is expected to be playing in rehab games next week. pic.twitter.com/iilzMiRklI

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 16, 2023

The Mets have released minor leaguers Brad Malm and Justin Guerrera, according to MetsMinors.net.

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On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Dick Smith (84)

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Josh Hejka (Liz Flynn/Brooklyn Cyclones)

Good morning, Mets fans!

Mets minor leaguer Josh Hejka posted on his Instagram that he underwent Tommy John surgery. The sidearming righty made it up to Triple-A Syracuse in 2022, posting a 4.70 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings across three levels.

Hejka has also been a guest on MMO Weekly and even written an article for the site.

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Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported yesterday that Carlos Beltrán is leaving the YES Network to join the Mets’ front office. He is expected to serve as a baseball operations assistant for Billy Eppler. The seven-time All-Star was hired to become the team’s manager shortly after the 2019 season but resigned just two months later after being named in the report about the Astros’ cheating scandal. Buck Showalter reportedly considered bringing Beltrán onto the coaching staff as an assistant hitting coach this offseason.

Former SNY sideline reporter Kevin Burkhardt is set to announce the Super Bowl this coming Sunday. Mike Puma of the New York Post sat down with Burkhardt to discuss his career and his partnership with Greg Olsen.

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The Twins have signed left-hander Locke St. John to a minor league contract according to his MLB.com transactions tracker. The southpaw spent time with the Cubs and Mets organizations in 2022, compiling a 5.88 ERA in 49 innings in Triple-A.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Rays have held talks with right-hander Jason Adam about a potential extension. The team has already extended Yandy Díaz, Jeffrey Springs, and Peter Fairbanks this offseason. Adam is coming off a career year in which he turned in a sparkling 1.56 ERA in 63 1/3 innings.

Latest on MMO

Christian De Block ranks the right fielders of the NL East.

Ricky Keeler profiles non-roster invitee Grant Hartwig.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets are the latest beneficiaries of the Marlins’ firesale, acquiring left-hander Al Leiter and infielder Ralph Millard in exchange for right-hander A.J. Burnett, lefty Jesús Sánchez, and former first-round pick outfielder Rob Stratton. Leiter is coming off a bit of a down year with a 4.34 ERA in 151 1/3 innings, but he was an All-Star and received Cy Young votes in 1996.

2008: The Mets sign right-hander Nelson Figueroa to a minor league contract. A native of Brooklyn, Figueroa was a 30th-round pick by the Mets out of Brandeis University in 1995. He hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2004 with the Pirates, spending 2006 in the Nationals organization and pitching in the Mexican League in 2007.

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Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Thanksgiving, Mets fans!

Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports reports that according to a person with knowledge of the situation, Bryce Harper had Tommy John surgery Wednesday and it went “very well.” He could be back hitting competitively by mid-May. The two-time NL MVP would obviously be a huge addition for the Phillies when he returns to play.

Now, it is time for the morning briefing.

Latest Mets News

Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the Mets gauged Carlos Beltran‘s interest recently about potentially joining the coaching staff. Beltran indicated he’s not interested in that type of role with the club. Ross Bentley has more on the story.

The Mets announced on Wednesday they have signed right-handed pitcher Denyi Reyes and left-hand pitcher Zach Muckenhirn to minor league deals with invites to spring training. Ross Bentley has more on the story.

MLB has completed its investigation into possible collusion between the Mets and Yankees to suppress the free agency of superstar Aaron Judge and found “no basis for any claim of collusion” according to a report from Sean Gregory of TIME. Ross Bentley has more on the story.

Latest MLB News

The Red Sox announced yesterday that they signed LHP Joely Rodríguez to a one-year contract for the 2023 season, with a club option for 2024. Michael Mayer has more on the story.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Rangers are among the most serious suitors for free agent Carlos Rodon.

The Texas Rangers announced yesterday that they hired Dayton Moore as the Senior Advisor of Baseball Operations and Mike Maddux as pitching coach on manager Bruce Bochy’s Major League staff.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the Red Sox have acquired INF/OF Hoy Park from the Pirates for minor league LHP Inmer Lobo.

Latest on MMO

Ross Bentley ponders which cap Carlos Beltrán would wear if he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

On This Date in Mets History

2005: The Mets acquired two-time All-Star Carlos Delgado from the Marlins for Mike Jacobs and minor leaguers Yusmeiro Petit and Grant Psomas.

Birthdays: Jason Jacome (52)

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Mandatory Credit: Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports

With the news that Mets’ starter Carlos Carrasco will likely be sidelined until Memorial Day at the earliest, the team will need its options behind him to step up and solidify the rotation.

Taijuan Walker, who New York also brought in this winter, just became an even bigger piece to the equation, but took a positive step in doing so on Friday as he fired four innings of one hit ball against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Louisiana native also yielded just one walk and punched out three in the outing.

“The repertoire was nice,” Mets’ manager Luis Rojas said about Walker’s appearance. “Just a lot of good things he showed in today’s outing.”

After a strong 2017 season where Walker pitched in 28 games and logged a 3.49 ERA, 4.04 FIP and struck out 146 batters, he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed nearly all of the 2018 season and appeared in just one game in 2019 due to a capsule sprain in his shoulder.

During the shortened 2020 season, Walker rebounded and pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 11 games (53.1 innings pitched). Now, three seasons removed from Tommy John, Walker is happy to be back in his groove.

“A little bit surprised,” Walker said of his success so far in having come back from the injury. “But kind of what I expected because I’ve been putting a lot of work in and doing everything I need to do to stay healthy.”

With Carrasco out, Walker will likely slot in as the Mets’ No. 3 or No. 4 starter. Jacob deGrom, of course, will anchor the rotation, followed by Marcus Stroman, Walker and likely David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi. Jordan Yamamoto, who has also had a fine spring so far, is also in the mix.

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